Apparatus and method for folding products

Abstract

The present invention includes a web folding apparatus that adheres the web to a belt. A gripping mechanism periodically grips the web from the belt. The action of the gripping ends the travel of the web on the belt and creates a first fold. The gripping mechanism releases the web to create a second fold. Consequently, a continuous web is folded into a zig-zag, continuous fold.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A folding apparatus for creating a stack of web material, comprising: 
 a first belt to which a web is releasably adhered, the first belt moving the web to a first side of the stack;    a first pair of pulleys;    a second belt on the first pair of pulleys;    a gripper on the second belt, the gripper periodically gripping the web and moving the web to a second side of the stack.    
     
     
         2 . The folding apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the gripper opens at one of the first pair of pulleys.  
     
     
         3 . The folding apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the web includes a non-perforated area and the gripper grips the web in the non-perforated area.  
     
     
         4 . The folding apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first belt includes a smooth surface in contact with one side of the web, and wherein an upstream one of the first pair of pulleys includes a textured roller pressing the web against the smooth surface of the first belt.  
     
     
         5 . A folding apparatus for folding a web into a stack of web material, comprising: 
 a first folding unit including a first pulley, a second pulley and a first belt supported by the first pulley and the second pulley, the smooth belt including a smooth surface releasably supporting the web and moving the web to a first fold of the stack; and    a second folding unit including a third pulley, a fourth pulley, a second belt supported by the third pulley and the fourth pulley, and a gripping assembly on the second belt, the gripping assembly periodically gripping the web and moving the web to a second fold of the stack.    
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the gripping assembly opens as it travels around the third pulley and closes as it travels between the third pulley and fourth pulley.  
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the first folding unit includes a tucking finger that inserts the web into the gripping assembly when the gripping assembly is open.  
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the first folding unit includes a fifth pulley that is in contact with and supports an inner surface of the first belt against the textured roller.  
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the fifth pulley is intermediate the first pulley and second pulley, the fifth pulley is adjacent the tucking finger, the fifth pulley is rotatably supported on a rotatable shaft, and the tucking finger is fixed to the shaft.  
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the first belt includes a plurality of first belts.  
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein one tucking finger is positioned intermediate each adjacent pair of the plurality of first belts.  
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the second folding unit includes a textured roller pressing the web against the smooth surface of the first belt to adhere the web to the first belt.  
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the second folding unit includes a single shaft that rotatably supports the third pulley and supports the textured roller.  
     
     
         14 . The folding apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the textured roller includes a plurality of textured rollers.  
     
     
         15 . The folding apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the second belt includes at least two second belts, each belt is positioned between two of the textured rollers.  
     
     
         16 . The folding apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein each of the at least two second belts includes a gripping assembly.  
     
     
         17 . The folding apparatus assembly of  claim 16 , wherein each of the gripping assemblies on the at least two second belts are synchronized and horizontally aligned.  
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the gripping assembly grips the web at a location equal to one length of an individual sheet of the web minus the length of material held in the gripping assembly.  
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the one length of an individual sheet is a length between perforations in the web.  
     
     
         20 . The folding apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the web is continuous.  
     
     
         21 . The folding apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the first belt includes a belt segment that periodically supports the web, wherein the belt segment travels at an angle of about 45 degrees relative to vertical.  
     
     
         22 . The folding apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the first belt initially contacts a vertically traveling web at the first pulley, and wherein the belt segment is downstream of the first pulley.  
     
     
         23 . The folding apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the second belt includes a belt segment that travels at an angle of about 45 degrees relative to vertical.  
     
     
         24 . A method of folding a wet web, comprising: 
 releasably adhering the wet web to a belt;    moving a first portion of the wet web to one side of a stack;    gripping a second portion of the wet web off the belt; and    moving the second portion of the wet web to a second side of the stack.    
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the steps are repeated in order to stack a continuous web.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein adhering the web includes pressing the web against a smooth surface of the belt.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein pressing the web includes urging the web against the smooth surface of the belt with a textured roller.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein gripping the second portion of the web includes gripping the second portion off the belt.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein gripping includes tucking a portion of the web into a gripping assembly.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein gripping includes providing a gripping assembly on a second belt, opening gripping assembly as the second belt travels in an arcuate path, and closing the gripping assembly as the second belt travels in an essentially linear path.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein moving the second portion of the wet web includes moving the second portion away from the first belt to which the web is releasably adhered.